Column of eggplants and peppers in straw bales and grow bags, as of July 5

Things are growing very well in the pepper and eggplant department. I am very pleased that I decided to dedicate strawbales to the cause this season, in reaction to the last two years’ disappointing results. I do have a few in grow bags, but they are in a far better location this year and they are doing very well also. My overall goal for both crops/all plants listed below are great health, heavy yields, and good quality fully ripe fruit for plenty of saved seeds.

Let’s start with eggplants:

Midnight Lightning, straw bale, from seed E20-6 - Tall growing, foliage with the desired (and characteristic) dark purple shading on the upper growth. Medium dark purple flowers with a dark purple calyx. Slender fruit are forming, glossy dark purple. Looks true to type, and probably a week from harvesting the first fruit.

Midnight Lightning, 5 gallon grow bag, from seed E21-4 - looks exactly like the plant in the straw bale from E20-6, above, which is great news. First harvest is probably a week away for this one as well. I hope to get some good seed saved this year; the poor growing locations of the last two years meant poor fruit ripening for saving seeds.

Twilight Lightning, straw bale - stocky, spreading plant, as hoped (it is the most compact/shortest of the Orient Express selections). Medium violet flowers, fruit are white with a prominent medium lavender streak, and look to be very slender and long. This looks exactly as it should, and first harvest should be in a week or so.

Skinny Twilight, ready for picking, July 5

Skinny Twilight, straw bale - the plant habit is very much like Midnight Lightning, but the foliage does not have the purplish cast. The medium purple flowers give way to medium purple, slender fruit, not a dark as Midnight Lightning - just as I expected. First harvest will be in a few days.

Mardi Gras, straw bale, from seed E21-1 - the medium height, large foliaged plant has little purple in even the veins in the leaves, and the stems. The flowers are a relatively light purple, and the developing tear drop shaped eggplants are light green with a prominent lavender shading - exactly as hoped. First harvest is about a week away.

Mardi Gras, 5 gallon grow bag, from seed E20-5 - This should grow just like the one described above. It is not quite as advanced as the plant in the straw bale, and buds are just starting to form. The plant is growing splendidly in the grow bag.

Green Ghost, 5 gallon grow bag - The medium green leaves are very large; this was the smallest seedling when it went into the grow bag, so is a bit behind all of the other eggplant, with small buds just forming. The plant is looking great. This is related to Mardi Gras (out of the same unexpected cross).

Now, on to the peppers.

Fire Opal, straw bale - Nice stocky, healthy plant, blossoming well, initial peppers set - bell shaped, start cream yellow, then develop the lavender coloring. Goal for this one is to then go to a golden yellow color when ripe, sweet and ready for seed saving.

White Gold, straw bale - Similar growth to its relative above; flowering well, initial blocky bell peppers are cream yellow. Expectation is that this one will ripen medium yellow.

Royal Purple, straw bale - This is a taller pepper than the two above (or one below), and the stems are a more medium green color. Plant is just flowering.

Carolina Amethyst, straw bale - This is growing just like Fire Opal and White Gold. The initial blocky bell pepper went from cream yellow to clear deep lavender. If all goes well, it will end up red.

Chocolate Blocky Bell, straw bale - The plant is very leafy and dense. It is healthy and happy and just flowering.

Orange Bell Improved - straw bale - This is even more compact than the one above. Flowers are just opening.

Pinata, 5 gallon grow bag - This is quite an open plant, with relatively small foliage. It is already setting small Jalapeno shaped very pale green peppers.

Padron, straw bale - Perhaps the tallest of the peppers thus far, this is flowering freely and the first few dark green characteristically shaped peppers formed. I expect a huge yield from this.

Shishito, straw bale - This is a shorter, more delicate plant than Padron, but is flowering well and fruit set should occur very soon. I expect a heavy yield.

Shishito, 5 gallon grow bag - This is growing very much like the one in a straw bale. Perhaps the plant is just a tad smaller, but it is flowering and getting ready to set fruit.